Year End Appeal 2024

"Restore Oregon has played a critical role in helping our rural community gain access to State funding, advocate for federal funding all while providing preservation expertise for the Chateau at the Oregon Caves National Monument. We need this statewide organization's continued help and they need your financial support to make that possible."

~Sue Densmore, Executive Director of Friends of Oregon Caves and Chateau

Imagine that 100-year-old building in your community—the one you remember from childhood. Have you ever thought about all the stories it holds? Historic places are more than just structures; they serve as tangible links to our shared history. Historic preservation of our built environment is a way to honor and protect that connection between history and places. We safeguard those assets that tell our collective story, encompassing not just bricks and stones but all the heartbeats, stories, and memories they hold within them.

Thanks to your support, over the past year, Restore Oregon has achieved many milestones. Your generosity has enabled us to advocate, educate, and celebrate the preservation and reuse of Oregon’s unique places. Now, more than ever, our state needs your help. We have re-oriented our work to implement a strategic vision focusing on how preservation can address our most pressing problems and ultimately build a better foundation for Oregon’s future.

The Problem:

The urgency to preserve, repurpose, and reuse historic places has never been greater. These existing buildings can help Oregon alleviate the housing crisis, reduce our carbon footprint, and fully showcase our unique and diverse cultural heritage. Unfortunately, they are often not recognized as valuable assets or seen to be part of the solution to addressing these issues. Moreover, Oregon lacks sufficient preservation tools and financial incentives, making our advocacy efforts critical. We need both a new approach and preservation incentives to drive significant change. That is why raising funds for this coming year is vital. It's about people, places, and shared heritage that can empower communities.

The Solution:

Together, let’s preserve our heritage. Restore Oregon is committed to this essential work and we ask for you to help. We need funding and a key staff member to elevate our mission, advance our strategic vision, and lay the groundwork for a better future. Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful impact. Please consider making a year-end gift to Restore Oregon. To meet our 2024 goals, we need to raise at least $40,000.

Long-time supporters Jim and Sue Kelly have offered a dollar-for-dollar match for the first $10,000 in donations, doubling your impact. If 120 people gave $250 we'd reach our minimum goal. This financial support will fuel our work in 2025 to advocate for Oregon's beautiful and abundant heritage.

Standing in a place where history unfolded allows you to not just learn about the past but to feel it. The echoes of those who came before resonate, making you part of the story in that moment. Whether through advocacy for a local historic site, volunteering, or simply appreciating these places, you help preserve these vital connections to our shared history. As part of our family, your generous support will help Restore Oregon!